


Flowers And Other Hurt Feelings

by naarna



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Allura (Voltron) Lives, Blade of Marmora Keith (Voltron), Fluff, Hanahaki Disease, Hurt Keith (Voltron), M/M, Miscommunication, Not Epilogue Compliant, Post-Canon, Protective Shiro (Voltron), Shiro (Voltron)-centric, Sick Keith (Voltron), Worried Shiro (Voltron), angsty fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:48:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22364371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naarna/pseuds/naarna
Summary: A tale of misunderstandings, stubbornness, and love. Or how Shiro tries to save Keith from making a stupid mistake.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 62
Collections: VLD Hanahaki Bang





	Flowers And Other Hurt Feelings

**Author's Note:**

> This is my very first story in the VLD:TLD fandom, so please be kind. I tried to do the characters justice, at least as much as I interpret them... Thankfully, writing post-series facilitates things a bit. ;-) I actually wrote this after first being stuck with a single scene in my head and then being gently coaxed by a friend to participate in the Bang.
> 
> The art is done by my Bang partner: _**Cookie**_ , who can be found on Twitter as [@fantasywalking](https://twitter.com/fantasywalking)
> 
> And last but not least, many thanks to my dear friend _MusicLover19_ for jumping in as beta reader! <3

The doors to the office closed with a quiet _whoosh_ , and it was a relief.

Shiro loved that moment when the silence settled in his office, shutting out the bustle from the halls just outside, calming his mind. It had been a couple of years now that they had managed to bring down Zarkon's empire, a busy couple of years for him and his fellow Paladins to stabilise the newly-won freedom and build up a council.

It was one of those days that he simply missed the days as a Paladin, fighting at the front against Zarkon. A lot had been at stake then, but looking back, things seemed simpler too — they had a clear goal, and they all pulled together.

Now, his days were filled with too many meetings and negotiations as a member of the council for his liking; he much preferred his role as the commander of the Atlas. For his own sanity, he spent as much time as he could on the Atlas carrying out missions.

Maybe he should resign as a member of the council and leave those things to the more capable hands of Allura and the Earth leaders. He was still a soldier, not a diplomat. Or he just needed a break from it all.

Reaching his desk, he saw the light on his massage screen blink, urging him to have a look.

It was a purple light.

Garrison messages always blinked in orange; so that purple light, of course, caught his attention and he opened the message. It was written in short, succinct sentences, not wasting any time on formalities.

_Shiro, I'm afraid Keith is sick. He risked the last mission to defeat a group of rogue Galra as he barely managed to fight. He refuses to speak to me about his condition, but I've seen him cough up flowers. He is weak, not fit for any fights we might encounter on our missions. As his mother, I do not want to lose him in a fight he cannot win due to his condition. So, as his team leader, I have put him on leave from field missions and be checked out by one of your doctors. He needs to be protected from himself._

_I heard legends when I grew up about people coughing up flowers, and if nothing is done, they die. So, if nothing happens, Keith might die too._

_You need to talk to him._

_Krolia._

Keith was sick.

That thought stuck in Shiro's mind as he sat down in his office chair. It felt like a blow to his chest, and it made him acutely aware of how long it had been since he had last seen Keith.

It had been weeks, or rather months, actually.

He leaned back, letting out a deep sigh, and silently cursing Keith's stubbornness and his own hesitation when he had the chance. Because, for Heaven's sake, he missed Keith's smug grin and his sarcastic quips. Missed those eyes that always softened when Keith looked at him. And missed the trust they had been building up slowly, the feeling of home in this still fast-changing world.

He missed his whole presence.

So, yes, Shiro cursed that missed chance to make it clear that he had wanted more — for a long time now, even though had only dared to think about the possibility of dating after their victory. Before that, they both could have died any day during their fight against Zarkon.

The loud beep of his intercom pulled him rather roughly from his thoughts; he sat up to open the line. “Yes?”

“Sir, Officer Holt wants to speak with you. Said it was about the Atlas, and he sounded urgent.”

“Put him through, Office Martin.” Shiro heard a sigh through the intercom, as every time he used the officer's name who had tried endless times to teach him how to say it correctly, insisting it was an old French name. “And bring me tea.”

Moments later, Matt stormed into the office, a grin on his face. “Seriously, your assistant is useless, Shiro. And no, it's not as important as he made it sound, just the usual necessary reports, you know. After all, you're still the captain of the Atlas, so I need to keep you informed about the maintenance, and how Kinkade still tries to get the Atlas to transform like you can.”

Glad for the distraction, Shiro laughed at the smugness of Matt's words, imagining Kinkade at the helm of the Atlas, frustrated that he couldn't connect with the ship properly. “I miss you guys.”

“Oh no, you don't,” Matt replied with a wink as he sat down. “You enjoy all those banquets and fancy dinners...”

Shiro shook his head, still grinning. “Now, let's see what damage Kinkade managed to do this time with his attempts.”

“Nothing I can't fix. Which reminds me... Pidge wants to eat out tonight; want to join us?”

“Same place as always?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

Shiro considered the options for a moment — either a lonely, quiet evening at his quarters, or catching up with Pidge's newest projects and Matt's stories about everyone else. He felt like he needed company tonight, and the Holts never failed to cheer him up, and occasionally help out. Maybe they could help him figure out how to deal with Keith, and maybe even find more information about any flower-coughing disease in the databases.

“I'm in,” Shiro said, putting the meeting notes away to make space for the notes Matt had brought along.

* * *

**Flashback — Lance's birthday**

Lance's birthday party was always a big event, given his already large family and all the friends he had invited from all over the place, even some of their alien friends had made it to the celebrations. Food was plenty, and so were the drinks.

“Hey, birthday boy!” Keith raised his drink as Lance finally made it over to through the throng of people wanting to congratulate him. “Nice party!”

“Thanks,” Lance replied with a smug grin, raising his own drink to meet Keith's. “As always trying my best. But glad you could make it.”

“And miss the good food?” Shiro replied, briefly lifting his glass before having a sip. “Your mother outdid herself...”

“Yeah, I've seen you load your plate with her _tostones..._ ” Lance swayed his drink between his fingers, making it foam up a little. “She's put a box of them aside for you to take home.”

“Thanks, but she didn't have to.” Shiro loved the _tostones_ , even though they weren't exactly great for his diet. But when Lance's mother made them, they were a treat to sin for.

“Oh, you should see her teach Allura how to make those things,” Lance continued after a moment. “You know, my _mamá_ always said that a good woman knows how to cook. She adores Allura but is disappointed that my princess doesn't know how to cook. My princess and Mamá in the kitchen...”

“Take care that they don’t band together against you,” Keith replied with a smirk, leaning closer into Shiro's side, who looked up when he felt a hand on his lower back.

“Nah, they both love me too much, and I love them too.” Lance had some more of his drink and then had a look around. “Now, let's see if I can find my cousin Ramon somewhere... See you later!”

“He's got like three or four cousins called Ramon,” Shiro said with a chuckle as soon as Lance had once more disappeared amongst the other guests; he turned towards Keith, whose eyes had once more softened now that they were left alone in this pool of people. He loved that expression; it always made his heart melt a little. “His family really is large.”

“Family is overrated sometimes...” Keith let his hand wander over Shiro's waist.

“Family is what you make of it; it's the people you choose to have in your life,” Shiro replied softly, enticed by the touch of Keith's fingers. He reached for the hand on his waist to pull him closer. “And for me, you are one of those people.”

“Yeah, because no one else can kick your butt on the hoverbike.” Now standing closer, Keith turned his head to the side to empty his drink. Facing Shiro again, he tilted his head slightly, eyes briefly fixed on Shiro's lips before he returned his gaze. “No one.”

Shiro's heart was racing from anticipation as Keith leaned even closer, until he was only inches away. They had been out on casual dates together, either exploring the surrounding landscape on their hoverbikes, or just spend the evening in that old shack in the desert, talking about their lives. Yet neither had made the first move until now.

But then, Shiro felt Keith's lips touch his.

They were soft. A little charred, but so damn soft.

Shiro closed his eyes and parted his lips a little, inviting Keith to more; he heard a small relieved sigh in response.

“Thank God you're okay with it!” Keith's words were a barely audible murmur, let out as he framed Shiro's face.

Shiro, meanwhile, placed his hands on Keith's hips to pull him as close as he could, only to then claim his lips in a full kiss. The first touch of their tongues was utterly enticing; right now, it felt as if he had his own piece of heaven.

His own piece of home.

He never wanted to let go of it again.

Encouraged by Shiro's grip, Keith grew bolder and more demanding, eager to explore every corner of his mouth while he let his hands run all over Shiro's shoulders, neck and chest, leaving a trail of inviting touches.

Seemingly endless minutes later, Keith broke off but remained only an inch away, panting just as heavily as Shiro; his eyes had a little mischievous spark, only adding to his smirk. “Yeah, family...”

“Yes.” Shiro didn't want their kiss to end just yet, so he claimed Keith's lips once more, inviting him to continue and deepen it further. “Mine.”

* * *

**Present**

“Shiro! We're here!”

Pidge's excited waving immediately caught Shiro's attention in the rather filled noodle shop in town just outside the Garrison. It was famous for its fried noodles, so you had to be lucky enough to get a table. “Sorry for being late. Iverson wanted to talk to me as well, and you know how he is when he starts talking about his time as a cadet at the Garrison.”

Matt moved to make space for Shiro. “Don't worry, we just got here too. And what did Iverson want? Complain about the Atlas?”

“He once told me how they were made to walk in the night as cadets,” Pidge said, adding a mock eyeroll. “In _all_ the details. We should get him a dog.”

“A dog? Imagine Iverson with one of those miniature dogs,” Matt replied, smirking, making them all laugh at the picture.

“Yeah,” Shiro finally said, having a look around to catch the attention of the waiter running around. “Maybe I'd actually get to do my job without him in my office every other day asking about the progress with the council.”

“Oh, the council!” Pidge leaned forward, all curious. “Wasn't that big vote on the economics deal today?”

“The Solidarity Deal, yes.” Shiro managed to stop the waiter to pass them again, placing his prosthetic arm in their way.

“Sorry, guys,” the waiter said, visibly stressed and rather embarrassed for missing them. “I'm alone tonight serving the tables. The usual?”

They all nodded, all hungry and eager to get their stomachs filled.

“I'll bring it as fast as I can...”

“So, what was the vote?” Pidge asked as soon as the waiter was gone.

“We didn't get that far,” Shiro replied, sighing. “Some of the members refused to let the Olkari help with their infrastructure, arguing they didn't want to depend on someone else, nor be at someone else's mercy again. It was frustrating. Honestly. I'm not made for those kinds of things. Saving Slav was nothing against this...”

Pidge laughed then patted his arm in solidarity. “Thank God Slav is half across the universe working on some experiment.”

“In this reality?” Shiro chuckled and then straightened as the waiter brought their drinks.

“Your orders are going to take another couple of minutes,” the waiter said as they placed the drinks on the table. “But I told them to put you guys first.”

“Thanks.” For Shiro, it was a big glass of home-made iced tea, a refreshing treat after such a seemingly endless day with enough to worry about.

“Still the best,” Pidge said with a content sigh as she put her own glass of iced tea down. “But great that you could come, Shiro. I haven't seen the others in a while, we're all so busy. Like you and Allura in the council–”

“Didn't Hunk open another restaurant?” Matt added, counting his fingers.

“No, that's next month, I think.” Pidge shook her head. “But yeah, busy as hell.”

Matt pointed to his next finger with a nod of acknowledgement. “And Lance trains the new cadets in tactics. Leaves Keith...”

Shiro sighed as the mention of Keith brought back Krolia's note. “He's been on missions with the Blades.”

“He's always away,” Pidge said, taking another sip of her iced tea. “Actually, haven't seen him since Lance's birthday party in July–”

“Yeah, that's right!”

Shiro sighed again and looked down. “I've seen him a few days after that. We just returned from a brief mission with the Atlas, and we just had a drink after the debriefing. I promised to meet up with him afterwards. Maybe he wanted to pick me up... Basically, I just saw him run out of the place.”

Both Pidge and Matt paused and looked at him, but Shiro only shrugged.

“He has seriously bad timing sometimes, that's all.”

“Yeah, that's true. He does have bad timing sometimes,” Pidge said with a nod. “What happened?”

Shiro leaned back and crossed his arms, but just as he wanted to respond, the waiter finally brought their dishes, variations of the famous fried noodles. He remembered the face Keith had made when he walked into the group outing with the Atlas crew, just when Curtis had a very drunk moment and forgot about personal space.

“Enjoy.”

“Okay, something definitely happened between you, because I do remember you being pretty much into each other at Lance's birthday party.” As always, Pidge struggled for a moment with the chopsticks, to Matt's amusement who was already chewing on his first bite.

“Yeah, I thought you two were dating?” Matt fished for his second bite, although he didn't manage to get something between his sticks as he was still looking incredulously at Shiro.

“Haven't you talked?”

“I tried. He didn't respond.” After a sigh, Shiro picked up his sticks, taking his time to position them between his fingers. Each unanswered message had stung deeply, crushing his hope again and again to clear things between them and continue what they had explored at Lance's birthday party. “And Krolia sent me a message this morning.”

“She did?”

Shiro nodded and brought the first bite to his mouth, relishing in the scent for a moment before taking in. Once in his mouth, the dish brought a sense of delicious, momentary comfort.

“She barely writes messages... But what did she say? It was about Keith, right?” Pidge kept asking, her next bite already on her sticks, ready to be eaten.

Shiro swallowed and nodded. “Apparently he risked their latest mission, barely able to fight.”

“Keith and losing a fight? Wow. He has to be sick–”

“He is.” Shiro took in the second bite and chew slowly to savour it; meanwhile, Matt had already eaten most of his. “What do you know about coughing up flowers?”

“What?” the Holt siblings responded in unison, with Pidge letting her last bite fall off her chopsticks. “ _Flowers?_ ”

“Yes.”

“Only in fairy tales, to be honest,” Matt said, just as Pidge had pulled out her device to start researching. “Isn't there a Japanese legend?”

“Well...” Pidge looked up, displeased with the results of her first basic search. “I can find a few references to old ailments in various alien databases mentioning flowers, but none of them specifically mention flowers being _coughed up_. And yes there was a Japanese legend.”

“It just sounds weird.” Matt pushed his empty bowl away and sneakingly reached for his sister's bowl, only to be stopped by Shiro using his prosthetic arm and a click of his tongue. “I mean, what do those flowers even look like? Are they poisonous? Is it contagious?”

“Who knows?” Pidge shrugged and picked up her bowl with a warning glare sent towards her brother. “But often enough, legends do contain a grain of truth. You just have to find it.”

“True.” Shiro finished his bowl as well, putting it next to Matt's before he leaned back, his arms crossed once more. He didn't like the idea of those flowers being poisonous like Krolia had mentioned, or the idea of a poison slowly cursing through Keith, making him weaker and weaker.

If only Keith had answered his messages! Maybe he wouldn't have gotten into this mess in the first place.

Shiro sighed.

“You should talk to Krolia.” Pidge swallowed her last bite. “Or at least Allura. One of them might know something... But I'll have another look through the databases again tomorrow. I can't really search on this device. I need my laptop for it.”

“Thanks, Pidge.”

* * *

**Flashback – Captain of the Atlas**

“I still can't believe the fight those rogue Galras put on!” Officer Griffin exclaimed, raising his drink. It was about the fourth or fifth time he made that explanation, and it probably wouldn't even be the last time with the evening carrying on. “I finally got to test my new phaser!”

“You're in love with that phaser, Griffin,” Officer Rizavi teased him with a smirk just before she had a sip of her drink, a light shandy. “You looked like you want to make love to it...”

“Oh, shut up!” Griffin replied with a brief mock glare. “Be glad I saved your back out there!”

Shiro stood in the corner of the bar, leaning against the counter as he slowly nursed his drink while he watched his crew members around him wind down from their last mission with the Atlas.

He felt exhausted because those Galra had been a bigger threat than anticipated, despite being outnumbered. Only when he finally tapped into the Atlas to transform the ship for a full attack, did those Galras finally surrender. As exhilarating those transformations were, they also cost a lot of mental energy next to what it took to command a ship this size.

He was exhausted, but content about the mission results; they had taken out another group of Galra trying to seize control of a space region destroyed before they could do more damage. And his crew had done good—no quarrels, but a show of tactical cooperation to find the Galras' weak points.

The ritual drink after a mission was the moment the crew could release the tension from the fight, and it helped them bond. And Shiro liked the witty banter between his crew members, he knew they could take it as much as they loved dishing it out.

“Oh, captain, my captain...” Curtis came up to him, a refilled glass of beer in his hand and a drunkenly smug grin on his face. “You look like you could use a massage, _Captain_.”

“Curtis, go back to the others.” Shiro sighed and reached for his drink for another sip. There were quite a few members of his crew who identified as queer, which made a few things easier.

But Curtis was the one who just had to develop a crush on him, his captain. And that made things complicated again on a personal level, outside their work on the Atlas. It had been a mistake to offer first names after a previous mission...

Shiro looked up from his glass when he felt a hand on his shoulder, following the edge of his prosthetic, a soft, inviting touch. And totally going too far. “Curtis, you are risking your position now...”

“Where's the fun without a little risk?” Curtis replied, running his fingers now up Shiro's shoulder until he reached his neck.

“That's enough.“ Shiro put his glass down and reached for the hand on his shoulder, holding it tightly in his prosthetic hand; Curtis whimpered from the pain which was a small satisfaction for the inappropriate advances. He leaned forward, using the fact that he had a very intimidating presence when he wanted. “You are drunk, and you are overstepping boundaries, _Officer_. I'm not interested in your games, and you will stop them immediately. Understood?“

Curtis said nothing, yet didn't budge either, only held the gaze while trying not to whimper from the pressure on his hand.

“Understood?” With a stern expression, Shiro leaned close enough to see that Curtis was trembling, yet still didn't budge. That was when he noticed a blurred red shadow behind Curtis, on the other side of the room that has suddenly fallen quiet.

His heart made a jump as soon as he saw who it was.

Keith.

Shiro immediately straightened up and let go of Curtis' hand, making to move towards Keith. Yet, he stopped when he saw the expression on his face.

For others, it might have been a stoic expression, but Shiro still saw the hurt in his eyes. “Keith... I... It's not–”

“Forget it.” Keith raised his hand to dismiss anything he might say to explain the situation. And after one more look, he turned around to leave the place. “I should have known better.”

“Keith!” Shiro tried to follow him out, but when he finally stepped outside, Keith had already mounted and started his hoover bike. “Wait, please!”

But Keith just drove away without looking back.

“Curtis!” Shiro bellowed when he returned to his crew. “You'll be cleaning the Atlas with a toothbrush for your inappropriate behaviour just now.”

“But Captain–”

“Continue and I'll add a remark in your record for misconduct.”

“Serves you right!” Griffin let out as he emptied his glass.

“And the evening is over! Back to your quarters–”

“Captain!”

“Kinkade, you want to join your fellow officer cleaning the Atlas?”

* * *

**Present**

“Kolivan?” Shiro sat up in his office chair when he saw the face of the leader of the Blades of Marmora on his screen. He had tried to contact Krolia through the frequency she had mentioned once, so he was surprised to find her superior instead.

“Shiro.”

Shiro briefly smiled at the shortest of head bows Krolivan offered as a welcoming greeting. “I take Krolia is not available.”

“No. Her presence was requested at a hearing.”

Shiro sighed and briefly slumped his shoulders before straightening his posture again. “Thanks.”

“Anything the Blades can help you with?” Krolivan asked, as collected as always. “Do you need our support with a mission?”

Shiro shook his head. “I'm afraid it's not something you can help me with. Krolia sent me a message yesterday, and I haven't had the time to contact her about it until now. A personal matter.”

“I see.” Krolivan seemed to check something on a screen on his side. “I can tell her to contact you as soon as she is back in the headquarters. According to my information, she should return tomorrow at the latest.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“In return, the Olkari have requested the expertise of the Green Paladin for one of their reconstruction projects. They asked us to escort her to the site –”

“I'll inform her about the request, but she will most likely prefer to take the Green Lion.”

“I understand. However, it is advisable that she takes at least one of my men with her. The corridor to the site is still not entirely secured.”

“Okay,” Shiro replied with a nod in acknowledgement, then he heard the _whoosh_ of the door opening; it was his assistant who motioned him silently that he had a visitor waiting. “I'll let Pidge know. But now I have to go.”

“We speak again.” And with these words, Krolivan ended the conversation, moments before the visitor entered Shiro's office.

“Allura!” With a warm smile, he got up to greet her. “I'm surprised to see you before the meeting.”

She smiled and greeted him with a friendly kiss on the cheek. “That's why I'm here. I'm at the end of my wits with the Solidarity Deal. I tried to speak privately with those factions who oppose the offer from the Olkari to find an agreement. It's... It's frustrating, to say the least.”

“It is, yes.” he offered her to sit down in the corner with the armchairs, a more comfortable setting for friends. “To be honest, I rather fight against Zarkon than return to that table.”

“Yes, looking back, things seemed simpler back then...” She chuckled and then sat down in the nearest armchair. “But you look like something else is on your mind.”

Shiro took the other armchair and took a deep breath. Allura still had the ability to pick up vibes and read them accordingly. “Maybe you can help me... It might sound weird, but what do you know about ailments that make you _cough up flowers_?”

“I'm not sure what you mean,” she replied slowly as if to gain time to process the information. “In my youth, I heard tales about people coughing up flowers. Children's tales, Shiro. I've never heard about any real cases–”

“What did those tales say?”

“Why are you asking? Is this about... about Keith?” She leaned forward, looking at him earnestly. “Coran told me he had seen him in on the ground, looking pale and sick. At least that what he told me he could see from a few feet away.”

“Yes.” Shiro leaned his head on his hand, even let out a small sigh. “Krolia sent me a message yesterday that he risked a mission and that she had put him on leave because he's sick. And she said he coughed up flowers.”

“Oh my...!” Allura gasped, but then covered her shock with a warm smile. “You're right to worry if it is true what she saw. According to the tales, those people keep getting sicker as time goes on, until they basically suffocate coughing up all those flowers. There are only two cures — either those people undergo a difficult surgery to remove their feelings, and with it their ability to ever love again or their soulmate confesses their love to them. Their _unconditional_ love, Shiro.”

He nodded, feeling his heart sink and his worry grow. Keith was stubborn enough to hide that he was slowly dying a painful death. And he would definitely be stupid enough to choose the surgery instead of talking to him. “I wish he had responded to my messages, to any of them. He wouldn't be in such a mess right now.”

“I...” She sighed and leaned closer for a little comfort. “I see what I can do. I know you two have a special bond. But please be sure about it being strong enough.”

“Yes. I _am_ sure.”

* * *

“Shiro? You've got a moment?” Pidge approached him as he sat in the mess hall, leaning over his lunch without any real appetite.

He looked and nodded before he checked the people around him. Given his preferred time to have lunch and enjoy a small time-out from work, his table was empty, and there was barely anyone else around.“Sit down.”

Pidge placed her laptop on the table and sat down. She had barely touched the surface of her chair as she opened the device to show him the screen. “I started searching about ailments that mention flowers being coughed up.”

He pushed his tray to the side to have a better look at the screen of her laptop. What he could decipher, all the mentions were dated thousands of years ago. “Allura said that even she only knew them as tales when she was a child...”

“Yeah, see... One of the resources I could find is indeed an Altean tale about a woman who falls in love, but when her love is not requited, she starts coughing up flowers, growing weaker and weaker every day, slowly suffocating. According to the tale, there are only two cures–”

“Yeah, I know.” Shiro rubbed his face in a moment of frustrated despair. “Either cutting out your emotions or have your _soulmate_ confess their love. Allura said the same.”

She looked at him with big, earnest eyes. “You're worried Keith is going to do something stupid.”

“Yes.” After a deep breath, he leaned his head on his hand. “Why, just why do I have a thing for hot-tempered, insecure guys?”

“I know, I know.” She patted his arm. “Matt is working on locating him on the Garrison grounds and talk some sense into him. And the Olkari can wait until we solved this...”

“You got the request then?”

“Sure. I love working with them, but Keith takes priority right now... What's that?” A message popped on her screen and she opened it. “Quiznak!”

“What is it?”

“It's from Matt,” she replied, turning the laptop so that he could see the message as well. “Keith is already in the hospital. And there is apparently a surgery scheduled—SHIRO!”

But Shiro was already on his feet, running out of the mess hall.

He only hoped he was fast enough.

A couple of hours later, Shiro sat in Keith's hospital room, watching him sleep. It gave him plenty of time to figure out what he would say once Keith was awake.

Each time Keith coughed, it shook his whole body, and more than once he had trouble breathing despite the oxygen mask placed on his face.

It was painful to watch.

The door opened quietly and a nurse came in, carrying a professionally concerned look on her face. “Commander, it might take a while until he wakes up again–”

“I don't care,” Shiro replied without lifting his gaze off Keith. He wasn't going to leave this room until he had the chance to say what he needed to say.

“Well, as long as you do not upset him further. You know what Doctor Shing said–”

“I know.” Impatiently, he watched her check Keith's stats and note them down before she'd adjust the oxygen levels in his mask, which brought almost immediate relief to Keith's laboured breathing.

Oh, Shiro had had quite a blunt conversation with Doctor Shing when he had arrived, demanding all preparations for the surgery to be stopped. In the end, she had only relented and granted him access to Keith's room after she had him sign a document stating that he'd be responsible for any possible consequences, especially since she considered delaying the surgery any further to be risky.

He had signed the document without any hesitation.

“Okay. He seems stable for now,” the nurse said as she put the note block back in its place. “I'll check again in an hour.”

Shiro nodded dismissively; he took a deep breath and leaned back as soon as the door was closed. His mind was racing, replaying that bitter moment over and over again with Keith's hurt expression, not giving him the chance to explain the misunderstanding.

A groan pulled him from his thoughts, followed by a cough.

Keith started moving, his hands searching his face and finding the oxygen mask, yet his eyes were still closed. His second groan sounded disappointed, and he coughed harder this time, panting for breath from the sheer effort.

“Don't,” Shiro said softly when Keith wanted to remove the oxygen mask. “It helps you breathe.”

“What?” Keith turned around and finally opened his eyes, only to put up a guarded expression as soon as he recognised him. “Shiro.”

Shiro could hear the pain in Keith's raspy voice, and it made his heart sting. He swallowed before he pulled the chair closer. “Just listen, okay?”

“I-I... Damn!” Keith started coughing, pulling the mask of his face because this time, flowers came out of his mouth—bloodied flowers. He pointed towards the nightstand where a glass with water stood, and Shiro handed it immediately. The coughing slowed down, allowing Keith to catch his breath before he put his mask back on.

“Why are you here?” Keith then asked with a defensive tone; the sheer effort of his coughing fit made him look even more sickly pale, while a small drop of blood stubbornly clung to his chin. His words came out breathless.

“Because you were stubborn enough to ignore my messages.” Shiro leaned forward in his chair to get as close as he could without straight sitting on the bed. “You ran away like a coward, without even giving me a chance to explain–”

“What I saw was clear enough.”

“No.”

“You and Curtis–”

“Just listen, okay?” Shiro sighed, but then he felt relieved when he saw Keith nod between pants for air. “You're a Paladin, and you've faced much bigger challenges than this, yet this time, you chose the easy way out instead of facing the situation like a Paladin.”

Keith shook his head, pointing at his heart.

“I know,” Shiro said and reached for the hand. “Why didn't you trust me enough to let me explain?”

“I... I don't know,” Keith mumbled behind his mask, closing his eyes as he clung to the mask for another breath. “It was easier. And I... I heard Curtis talk about... about you before.”

Shiro nodded, squeezing Keith's hand who had twined their fingers. “I'm not interested in Curtis, nor anyone else. And I told him off that evening, right when you came in. That's what you saw.”

“Not interested? But it... it looked like–”

“Yeah, I know... But the only one I want is you — for a long time now. I thought the kiss at Lance's birthday party made it clear...”

A small gasp escaped Keith and he opened his eyes to look at Shiro; after a few seconds, his eyes widened as he realised the weight of Shiro's words. In response, he held on even more tightly to his hand now. “I... I–”

“Shh. Just breathe and listen... This is something I wanted to tell you for a long time now.” Shiro smiled and placed his prosthetic hand over Keith's in a protective move. For a second, his nerves got the better of him, but then he inhaled deeply. “You've become such an important part of my life, Keith. I can't imagine spending my life without you. I-I... Damn it! I missed you every single day, wished I could tell you that you're the one I _always_ wanted. You're _that_ one person for me. And it meant the world to me when we finally kissed at Lance's party–”

“I was so glad you... you kissed me back that day. That's why it–” Keith swallowed hard and tried to get the rest of the words out, but then wiped his eyes with his free hand before he placed it on his chest.

“I get that.” Shiro's voice turned into a whisper, and he felt his throat choking up from the emotions. But to his relief, he noticed how a hint of colour returned to Keith's cheeks, even though his breath still seemed laborious. “I'm here because I didn't want to lose you... What we have, and you above all, mean everything to me. I'd fight the universe all over as long as you're with me.”

With a soft smile, Keith closed his eyes and took another deep breath as he wiped his eyes once more. He started to take deeper breaths, his chest lifting accordingly. “I'd follow you everywhere.”

Shiro watched Keith take a couple more deep breaths while his cheeks slowly regained their usual tint of pink—it was such a relief. At a loss for more words, he rose to his feet to lean over the bed, still holding Keith's hand in his own prosthetic one. Keith's shy but happy smile made his heart melt all over, and it encouraged him to carefully remove the mask; he slowly lowered his head to press a kiss on Keith's lips.

A soft admission of his feelings.

His heart made a jump in utter joy when Keith responded in kind, parting his lips ever so slightly as an invitation, his hand sneaking up on his neck. He now deepened the kiss, claiming Keith's mouth fully and simply relishing in the relieved sighs he could hear coming from him.

“I love you, Keith.”

In response to those words, Keith pulled him further onto the bed, holding on firmly to his neck. Each touch of their lips was followed by a barely audible thankful whisper or sigh. He was no longer coughing, but taking deep, delighted breaths.

To stabilise himself, Shiro moved his hand next to Keith's head, barely noticing that he thus blocked the supply to the oxygen mask as well as putting a strain on the electrodes still attached to Keith's torso, until the first started to loosen and finally break off.

Only seconds later, they were interrupted by the nurse and Doctor Shing storming into the room, both ready for reanimation.

Startled, Shiro jumped back and tried to cover his embarrassment with brushes over his uniform jacket. A quick glance to Keith showed that his cheeks were blushing, but a smile still graced his lips.

“Commander,” Doctor Shing said sternly as she approached him while the nurse moved to check on Keith. “This is not what I expected.”

But before Shiro could even respond, the nurse came back over and whispered something to the Doctor. He could only watch them as they exchanged a few words in utter disbelief, so he reached for Keith's hand once more, who was sitting upright by now.

“What the hell did you do, Commander?” Doctor Shing finally asked. “Less than an hour ago, he could barely breathe on his own, and now it looks like there won't be any surgery at all.”

Shiro chuckled at the disbelief in both women's faces as they returned their attention to Keith to check him out properly. “I only did what I had to do.”

“This is... unbelievable.” The doctor kept shaking her head as she checked Keith's breathing with her stethoscope. “Nothing.”

Keith kept smiling throughout, still holding Shiro's hand in his, twining their fingers. “Thanks. For saving me.”

“As many times as I need to.”


End file.
